Welcome to the ABCS of Autism!

This wiki site has been established to support professional development for Hernando County staff and community members who want to learn more about students who have been identified as having Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Participants will work as part of a "Professional Learning Community" (PLC) to learn more about ASD.

Course Requirements:

• Read and review online content
• Attend all 4 face-to-face sessions
  • Session dates are: January 24, February 7, February 21, and March 6, 2012 from 5:00 to 8:00 PM.
  • The location is: Nature Coast Technical High School, Room 6-011
• Successfully complete required assessment tasks
• Complete the Summative Survey

Assessment tasks to be submitted will be next to this symbol:

WIIFM

(What's in it for me?)
Teachers who successfully complete the ABCS of Autism will receive:

• 24 inservice points
• training stipend of $21 per hour for face-to-face sessions (12 hours)

Paraprofessionals who successfully complete the ABCS of Autism will receive:

• hourly rate of pay for face-to-face sessions (12 hours)

All participants will learn:

"KUDos" of ABCS of Autism

(KUDos are what participants will Know, Understand, and be able to Do as a result of this PLC and workshop interaction.)

Know:

• Recognize common characteristics of Autism Spectrum Disorders in comparison to Asperger’s
  • Utilize the DSM IV Manual to define ASD and Aspergers Disorder
• Identify the raised level of anxiety in students with Autism Spectrum Disorders
• Affirm that the brain of an individual with ASD is physically different
• Identify the elements that compose executive functioning and joint attention
• Recognize the need for a variety of classroom instructional strategies and approaches
• Identify what is difficult for students with ASD and how those difficulties are manifested in the classroom
• Recognize communication is at the core of social interactions and education
• Recognize that students with ASD have limited and/or unconventional communication skills
• Recognize signs of sensory overload in students with ASD

Understand:

• How anxiety impacts daily classroom performance for the most basic functions
• Why tools and strategies may be needed to reduce the heightened anxiety within the classroom setting
• What community agencies can provide resources and services to individuals with ASD and Aspergers
• How the difficulties of students with ASD can appear to be behavior problems or become behavior problems
• Educators must change the way they teach to meet the needs of students with ASD
• How sensory processing contributes to a student with ASD's ability to participate in the classroom

Do:

• Begin and/or expand the number of instructional strategies to assist students with ASD
• Develop and/or expand the number of resources available in Hernando County and beyond
• Begin and/or expand a tool kit of behavioral interventions such as using:
  • the incredible 5 point scale
  • social stories
  • comic strip conversations
  • anticipating difficult situations
  • visual schedules
• Identify social situations in which a student with ASD would have difficulty
• Create a social story
• Create a classroom environment that is rich in visual supports
• Begin to implement a sensory schedule as needed

Click on the links on the left to navigate to Pages on this site.